Kansas big man Azubuike named Big 12 player of year
IRVING, Texas — Kansas center Udoka Azubuike has been selected as the Big 12 player of the year by the league’s coaches.
Azubuike is averaging 13.7 points and 10.5 rebounds a game, and is shooting an NCAA-best 74.8% from the field for the regular-season champion Jayhawks. The 7-footer from Nigeria is the only Big 12 player averaging a double-double.
Baylor’s Scott Drew was named the top coach by his Big 12 peers.
The awards were announced by the conference Sunday, the day after the end of the regular season. The league’s postseason tournament starts Wednesday in Kansas City.
The No. 4 Bears are 26-4, and spent five weeks as the No. 1 team in the AP poll earlier this season. They set a Big 12 record with a 23-game winning streak, which ended with a home loss to Kansas last month.
Big 12 coaches picked Baylor sophomore guard Davion Mitchell, a former transfer from Auburn, as the newcomer of the year. Texas Tech’s Jahmi’us Ramsey was named the top freshman.
